A picture is worth a thousand words, and last year’s photos spoke volumes. Each year is captured in a unique style, and 2015 brought photography a flavour of its own.

Here are six of last year’s biggest photography trends analysed and explored – the most iconic, memorable and interesting photography techniques online. Use them to guide your e-commerce marketing for the new year.

View from above

Whether it’s a beautiful breakfast or a meticulously organized desk space, bird’s-eye view photos are extremely popular and fun images to look at. This photography trend is ubiquitous in product shots, offering a slick and simple overview of an item. This perspective is also often used for food, arts and crafts, as well as anything that is personalized — making the viewer feel as if they are part of the scene too! Use this high angle shot for still life, product shots and more!

Three’s the magic number

A standard trick in photography is the rule of thirds, where a composition is sectioned off into three parts. One section is the most interesting, one is similar looking, and one is blank. In this example, the number three is used again – not for the image itself, but for the number of images posted together. This technique of posting three photos of the same subject together, usually from different angles, is well known on Instagram, where the grid format allows for an aesthetically-pleasing and clean layout. So next time you snap a pic, click two more times!

Double trouble

Although double exposure pictures have been around for a while, they still capture our hearts. Whether it’s done with the camera or in an editing program post-snapshot, this beautiful trend is a photo that tells a story. A layered composition often evokes a sense of dreaminess and curiosity that a regular image lacks.

Fun with words

Your mother always taught you not to play with your food, but last year’s photography trend of playing with letters tells a different story. A fun feat was to spell out different words or phrases using letters made of objects. Whether it’s landscapes, cereal or mundane objects, have fun with what your brand or company says this year!

Geometric goodness

There’s something alluring and calming about a photo that accentuates geometry, which is why it was one of the photography trends of last year. Images featuring simple structures and shapes like triangles, squares and rectangles are interesting and fun to look at. Feature photos with geometric lines in your marketing, and you won’t be square!

About the Author:

Vicky Liu is a Canupy content creator, blogger and social media enthusiast. She studied RTA Media Production at Ryerson University in Toronto. Her interests include digital design, concert-going and stalking assorted bakeries on Instagram.

Vicky Liu is a content creator, blogger and social media enthusiast studying RTA Media Production at Ryerson University in Toronto. Her interests include digital design, concert-going and stalking assorted bakeries on Instagram.

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